New Delhi: India is set to elect a new Vice President today, with voting underway until 5 PM and results expected by nightfall on September 9. The contest is a straight battle between the ruling National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) nominee, Maharashtra Governor C P Radhakrishnan, and the INDIA bloc’s candidate, former Supreme Court judge Justice B Sudershan Reddy. The election was triggered by the sudden resignation of outgoing Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, who stepped down amid tensions with the BJP-led government after supporting an opposition-sponsored motion to impeach a High Court judge.
Voting began at 10 AM and will continue until 5 PM, with counting set to start shortly thereafter. All members of Parliament, including nominated members, are eligible to vote in a secret ballot, allowing them to vote independently of party lines. However, cross-voting is common, as seen in the 2022 election when opposition members supported Dhankhar. With 427 MPs backing Radhakrishnan and confirmed support from the YSR Congress, the NDA is expected to cross the majority mark of 386 comfortably, despite the abstention of BRS and BJD members.
The BJP, aware of the possibility of defection, has enforced strict “man-to-man marking” to ensure party discipline. Senior ministers such as Pralhad Joshi, Piyush Goyal, Shivraj Chouhan, ML Khattar, and Arjun Meghwal have been assigned to supervise MPs from different regions throughout the day. Meanwhile, the opposition’s numbers remain significantly lower at 315, excluding the potential support of 12 Aam Aadmi Party MPs. Even with full backing, Justice Reddy’s chances are slim, particularly given internal disputes within opposition ranks that may lead some members, like AAP’s Swati Maliwal, to vote against party directives.
The election is also seen as a strategic contest. Radhakrishnan’s nomination is believed to be aimed at strengthening the BJP’s presence in Tamil Nadu ahead of next year’s assembly elections, while the opposition’s decision to field Justice Reddy signals a push for optics and momentum despite an expected defeat. Sources within the opposition admitted that the election is unlikely to change the outcome but could serve to highlight their relative strength in Parliament and rally support ahead of key state elections in Bihar, Bengal, and Tamil Nadu.
Adding to the political drama, the BJP has fiercely criticized Justice Reddy’s past judicial record. Home Minister Amit Shah pointed to Reddy’s 2011 verdict in the Salwa Judum case, arguing that it undermined efforts to combat Maoist insurgency by ruling against state-sponsored anti-insurgency forces. This attack has added fuel to the campaign, framing the election as a debate over national security and governance.
As the nation awaits the final results, the election is shaping up to be a critical test of political strategy, party discipline, and public messaging, with the NDA likely to retain the Vice President’s office but the opposition hoping to make symbolic gains in an increasingly polarized environment
